City stretched their unbeaten run to 16 games with a battling performance at Reading.

Freddie Draper headed the Imps ahead, but Harvey Knibbs drew the home side level.

City started brightly and created an opportunity inside the opening minute - Joe Taylor fed Reeco Hackett down the left, and the St Lucia forward’s effort from the left flashed just wide. 

The early chances were all created by the Imps, with a Lasse Sorensen effort blocked behind after four minutes and another opportunity three minutes later where Sorensen won the ball back high up the pitch but - after a one-two with Ben House - was crowded out as he tried to play the ball back across the area.

Reading’s first chance came after nine minutes, with Ben Elliott firing wide from Sam Smith’s left-wing cross.

City continued to create the better opportunities, with Bishop firing just over after a smart counter-attack with 12 minutes gone and Taylor seeing an effort deflected seven minutes after that.

Lukas Jensen pulled off a stunning point-blank save from Femi Azeez on the half-hour mark, with Jack Moylan throwing himself at Amadou Mbengue’s shot from the rebound - and needing medical treatment after taking the ball full force on his chest.

City were forced into a change early after the restart, with Draper replacing House who had picked up a knock.

Again it was the Imps who created the first real opportunity after the restart - good work from Sorensen down the right gave Moylan the space to cross - although his delivery was just too high for Draper.

The ball ran through to Hackett, whose lofted cross back into the area was just behind Draper and Moylan. Moments later Hackett was again in the thick of the action as he tried a low shot from distance - forcing Pereira into a save.

City head coach Michael Skubala made his second change with just over 20 minutes to go as he sent on Jovon Makama in place of Taylor

Makama was one of several players involved in a good couple of minutes of play which saw the Imps keep the ball prior to taking the lead.

Draper was the man who found the breakthrough - heading home Sean Roughan’s cross from the left.

There were claims for a penalty moments later as Makama went down in the area, but referee Alex Chilowicz was unmoved.

Chances were at a premium in the closing stages as City looked to claim victory, but Jensen was beaten after 84 minutes when Bindon headed home from a corner.

But while City will have been frustrated to have been pegged back, they can take real pride from another determined performance and an unbeaten run which now stretched beyond three months.

Reading: Joel Pereira, Ben Elliott, Harvey Knibbs, Sam Smith, Femi Azeez, Paul Mukair (Clintoh Mola, 70)u, Andy Yiadom (c), Jeriel Dorsett (Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, 70), Tyler Bindon, Amadou Mbengue, Lewis Wing. Subs not used: David Button, Charlie Savage, Jayden Wareham, Kelvin Abrefa, Michael Craig.

Imps: Lukas Jensen Alex Mitchell, Paudie O’Connor (c), Sean Roughan, Ethan Erhahon, Ted Bishop, Jack Moylan (TJ Eyoma, 80), Lasse Sorensen, Reeco Hackett, Joe Taylor (Jovon Makama, 68), Ben House (Freddie Draper, 51). Subs not used: Jordan Wright, Adam Jackson, Jack Burroughs, Dylan Duffy.

Attendance: 15,209 (1,475 away)